Johnny Bognor

theres nothing wrong with writing a book, but if you are criticising others for cashing in, whilst you're devoting "all of your waking hours to the electorate", when you're cashing in too, just seems a little hypocritical. I would prefer her to write her book after retiring from politics, it would make her less of a hypocrite. and when the likes of John Prescott, supposedly sticking up for the working class, with his snout firmly embedded in the trough, it makes me sick. The lefties are quick to criticise the Tory mp's, meanwhile they are being betrayed by their own. How any leftie cannot see this and even worse defend this, is beyond me.

I agree in part, from a government point of view in relation to global imbalances. It is a major problem. On a micro level, tHere are a number of things the government could do to encourage businesses who are net exporters, rather than treat them the same as net importers. Don't see any party doing things along these lines. Increasing/reducing tax and or benefits is so short sighted and as I say, papers over the cracks. But you are missing my point. We as individuals have choice. If we choose to buy foreign goods, it further excentuates the problem. I don't have to buy a German car. I could buy one made in the UK. I don't have to holiday abroad. Etc etc. it's all too easy to blame a government, but we as individuals, blinded by consumerism, are part of the problem, not the solution. It's even worse, when we are doing it with money we don't have. Oh, I never go on about the "makers of things". There is a big difference to the "creators of things". Britains future lies in design and entrepreneurship, because that's where the money's at. We can leave the Germans, Chinese et al to make the things we create. all the main parties go on about vision, but the only vision they really have is getting themselves elected. So aside of refocusing our economy on creating things, how do you suggest we get out of this mess??? Carry on as usual??

i do agree with you that the poorest/most vulnerable are not to blame. They are in essence victims. But it is all too often easy to blame our financial woes on the banks. Don't get me wrong, they don't get off Scott free. Well actually they have. I would have liked to see a few of the ****ers behind bars. But there is more to it than just the banks... New labour have to shoulder some of the blame as it was on their watch. But we all have to take responsibility. For banks to lend irresponsibly, it takes people to borrow irresponsibly. It is easy to blame capitalism, but what happened with the banks wasn't capitalism. We were in a consumer debt fuelled boom. Despite what Gordon brown said, there was always going to be a crash. A big part part of the problem for me, is consumerism. Borrowing money and taking out finance to have the latest tv, phone, car, clothes, etc etc. it is our collective lust to have the latest thing and borrow what we can't afford in order to have it. For me, consumerism is the root cause. Our collective national greed. So we're all to blame at the end of the day. It's not right that the poorest have to pay. But we all need to take a long hard look at ourselves. until we move away from consumerism, it will be a car crash waiting to happen again... And again.... And again. Until we learn. i want future economic prosperity built on creating things, not borrowing money to buy things to satisfy our collective consumerism lust. Until that happens, we will go round in circles. political change in the short term may help in the short term, but until society fundamentally changes, things won't get better for the poor. Taxing the rich or cutting this that or the other , for me, doesn't tackle the root cause., but merely papers over the cracks. Whoever wins tomorrow, we'll be having the same conversation in 5 years time.

Agreed On another note, the question of more or less benefits papers over the cracks. I would prefer to see a long term cross party strategy that realy changes people's lives. But it won't happen any time soon

i got to 24bn best hope for some economic growth to increase tax receipts

i meant Caroline or whatever she calls herself now, in a bid to delude people. i personally would like to see real people in politics with real life experience from all walks of life. Only then will we have real representation.

Meanwhile Caroline Lucas criticises mp's for having 2nd jobs, whilst she devotes every waking hour to serve her electorate (her words, not mine). She must have written her soon to be published book for which she'll make thousands, in her sleep. Most politicians cash in after they are an mp, this so called caring sharing leftie/hypocrite (delete as applicable) couldn't wait to cash in. john Prescott (the union man) having mock Tudor beams fitted to the front of his constituency home., courtesy of the tax payer. That's not very aristocratic is it???? labour mp claiming for porn films??? I could go on but its not a party thing. It is endemic across all parties and is quite frankly disgusting. But if you want to delude yourself that it is just a Tory thing, crack on. Your people will get richer at your expense.

6 MP's were charged and convicted of expenses fraud. Care to google which party these were from? Aside of the 6 labour MP's prosecuted, theyve all got their snouts in the trough. Blue, red and even green. Yes green!!! thats why I can't vote for any of them.

Just about sums up the party leaders... https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=CdhoDrSv7Q8

More than the bonuses, my biggest beef is that not a single banker has been prosecuted. There are people in the system who knew that what they were doing was fraudulent on so many fronts. That's is what creates the injustice for me. if I defrauded someone, I would expect to be punished. At least the yanks stuck the execs of Enron in the slammer

fair comment. we can agree on something

if you're gonna use that, at least dish it out equally

Child rape on your hands??? http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2939129/Two-local-councillors-corrupt-police-officer-accused-having-sex-victims-Rotherham-abuse-scandal.html http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/crime/11391314/Rotherham-child-sex-abuse-scandal-council-not-fit-for-purpose.html Millions of innocent dead Iraqi men, women and children anyone??? Actually, I really should not stoop as low.... As the mirror

Had I not been so central, dave would have lost me with his "career defining" ahem "country defining" moment. This type of leftie crap would have pushed me back over the line.

would like to see this. Everyone pulling together. But will never happen.

Ah, check my location. It's more fun fighting behind enemy lines

Tory largest party, but coalition between Labour and SNP, which quickly falls apart, resulting in another general election. The J-Crap party will register their first vote, although the movement won't get off the ground quick enough to save the country.

when it comes to officials, biology doesn't come into it. But if ability is equal, then there is no reason why not IMO

Thats why the boys don't let her play how ow are the shins BTW?

its funny you say that. I take my 10 year old twin girls to 9 or 10 games a season. One of them posed the question as to why there are no female players. I had no response. Logic dictates, that if they are good enough to play. They should play. That's what I believe and have been trying to get her into the school team, without much success. She can play, but is in effect discriminated against. As for capability, when you take Miss Massey, she puts many male officials to shame. So there is segregation, as you say, but that still does not make it right. out of interest, do you support male only golf clubs?

Completely different. I went to an all boys school. I would have preferred a mixed school, but I was a child. That was the choice of my parents. Some may argue segregation in schools helps learning, some may not. I personally feel that segregation, in my experience, was not a good thing. But the big difference here is that neither sex is deliberately disadvantaged and treated like a second class citizen, when compared to the other. It also involves children who are under the guardianship of their parents, but once they are adult, segregation is not forced upon them, unless of course you'll be telling me that having separate male and female toilets shows that sexism is engrained in our culture

I have to say, VFTT aside, I am shocked at the response of the lefties on this forum. it is a political event, not a religious one. There is no requirement or justification for segregation. How anyone can defend or justify it, is beyond me. Youre either for equality or you're not. Only a complete hypocrite picks and chooses when it suits them. unless of course anyone can enlighten me...

i apply it to all people that do not respect that women have equal rights, including the Labour Party. for me, basic human rights trump religious ones every day of the week, because everyone is human whilst not everyone is religious.

Don't tell me you're not fascist but....